Sleep and Immunity

Abstract

Sleep has been reported in several studies as an important function of the organism, as well as its deprivation as harmful to the production of defense cells, which affects our immunity. It is also demonstrated in the literature that sleep is fundamental for the metabolism of free radicals and for the body to be able to restore cardiorespiratory functions. The weakened immune system implies an increase in the chances of contracting infectious diseases, in addition to having difficulty recovering from relatively simple illnesses such as colds and flu. This study discusses sleep and its implications for organismic immunity. The results highlighted the need to perform sleep hygiene, defined as the change from dysfunctional patterns to a new organization of habits and activities that allow better sleep induction and quality. Keywords: Sleep; Immunity; Quality of life.